Novel Full Chapter 311: Final Phase
Chapter 311: Final Phase
Kyrian and the others slept deeply that night.
After the end of the first phase, the accumulated exhaustion from weeks of intense hunting, battles, and constant tension finally took its toll. Everyone returned to the Green Sword Tree in silence, each retreating to their room without many words. Both body and mind needed recovery.
Kyrian woke early the next day, even before the sun broke over the horizon of the floating city. He opened his eyes in the dimness of the room, feeling the pure Qi of the environment revitalizing his body. There was no need for training or refinement today. Everyone had decided to use this day to rest well; the final phase of the Domain Gathering would begin the next day, and they needed to be in peak condition.
Mo Tianhai and the others remained in their rooms for practically the entire day. Some meditated, others cultivated calmly, regulating the flow of Qi and soothing their overburdened meridians. Long Xue spent hours sitting in the lotus position, mentally reviewing the battles she had faced. Mo Xia read ancient scrolls about sword techniques, refining her understanding. Shen Yu and Wu Jian alternated between deep meditation and light breathing exercises.
Kyrian, as always, opted for a simpler routine. He spent the morning mentally reviewing his formations and the pill refinements he had studied, then sat on the balcony, observing the floating city pulsing with life. He felt no need to train physically. His body was already at its ideal limit.
At night, Mo Tianhai appeared in the central hall with an excited smile.
"Shall we go out to eat? After so much fighting, we deserve to taste the delicacies of this city."
Everyone agreed. Kyrian went along as well; he had nothing better to do and was somewhat curious about the local spiritual foods.
They descended the suspended bridges to one of the most famous restaurants in the city, the Hall of Nine Essences. The place was packed with participants of the Gathering and local cultivators. As soon as Kyrian and the group entered, the atmosphere changed. Several youths from other domains, seated at different tables, turned their heads and waved in respectful greeting.
Kyrian had become famous even before the final phase. The news that he alone had cleared the central area of the Pocket Realm, eliminating nearly all the powerful beasts, had spread like wildfire. Now everyone understood why they had encountered so few strong prey. Respectful murmurs echoed across the tables.
"It’s him... Kyrian of the Verdant Sword."
"Thanks to him, their sect shone so brightly."
"They are strong... They deserve respect."
When they left the restaurant, the sect leaders had already explained to their disciples that Kyrian had cleared the central region practically by himself. This raised the prestige of the Verdant Sword Sect extraordinarily. A sect once considered average was now seen in a new light. Everyone treated Kyrian and his companions with cautious respect, almost reverent.
After eating their fill of dishes of grilled spiritual meat, soups of crystalline roots, and luminous fruits, the group returned to the Green Sword Tree and went to sleep early.
The next day arrived quickly.
Everyone got up before dawn. The air was thick with expectation. They dressed in the sect’s immaculate black robes and set out toward the Central Plateau. Thousands upon thousands of people also climbed the great stairways of living wood, filling the floating stands. The final event drew all eyes.
Kyrian and the others were led by disciples of the Ancient Forest Sect to their designated seats. Feng Yuan and Mei Ran were guided to one of the VIP areas reserved for leaders. Kyrian, Mo Tianhai, Mo Xia, Long Xue, Shen Yu, and Wu Jian were taken directly to the central arena, where the hundred participants gathered beneath the great ancestral tree.
After half an hour, the hundred talented youths stood in the center of the arena, under the imposing shadow of the tree. The atmosphere was heavy, charged with tension and determination.
Then, the Leader of the Ancient Forest Sect arrived.
He leapt to the center of the stage, above the great tree, and first welcomed the envoys from the major fourth-level sects. At that moment, everyone looked toward a floating stand that hovered above all the others, a great living trunk rising from the ground to the sky, where about ten people sat with imposing presence.
Kyrian also looked. Even from afar, he managed to see the symbols on their clothes. He was somewhat surprised to recognize several forces he had encountered in the Cloud Empire. They were the Earth Forge, the Deep Roots Sect, the Southern Wind Dynasty, the White Crane Sect, the Gray Blade Sect, the Scarlet Rock Sect, and the Celestial River Alliance. The other three envoys were from nearby fourth-level forces, but Kyrian did not recognize them.
After the leader welcomed the envoys, he turned to everyone present and announced:
"The final phase of the Domain Gathering begins now!"
Suddenly, a hundred leaves flew from the great tree once again, flying toward all the participants. Kyrian caught his and noticed that the number "1" was engraved in gold. Each leaf had a number indicating the disciples’ positions.
The leader of the Ancient Forest Sect then explained the rules in a clear and firm voice.
"First place will fight last place, second place will fight second to last, and so on. The rules are simple. No use of external treasures or pills to increase strength. Only your own power, your own sword, and your own talent."
A silence filled with anticipation took over the arena.
The final phase, the direct one-on-one battles, was about to begin.
Kyrian held his leaf with the number 1, his calm gaze fixed on the center of the arena. He could feel the gazes of all the fourth-level envoys upon him. He knew his performance so far had drawn too much attention.
But he did not care. He was already part of a force, the Blood Court.